Rumors
by Snow Bennet
Summary: Kenshin was starting to get bored with his life when his one of his best friend's sister suddenly seemed to have grown up.Second Chapter Up I added some more
1. Introduction

Rumors-Prologue  
By Xue Hua Bennet

Humanity has always desired power. To reach such a level of power, a person can anger many important people. Hence, the need for the elite group of assassins known as the Hitokari, a group of manslayers as their name states, arose. The hitokari were for hire assassins who were willing to take any dirty job into their hand. Though there was no outside source monitoring them, they have yet to abuse their power. The hitokari chooses their customers, approaching you when they feel you are in need. No one ever remembers the face of any member, but they would find their biggest problem dealt with. The only regret of the customers is the large amount of money they find missing from their bank account. Even the manslayers of the Hitokari could not explain as to why they leave no evidence.

Just because people do not remember anything, doesn't mean they haven't found ways to speculate upon the existence and members of the Hitokari. These rumors have been spawned into a myth of sort. The Hitokari first came into existence over a century ago. When the government was corrupt and a revolution was forming. History strongly proves that they were actually formed by the revolutionary government to deal with the tyrant government they were opposing. However, it has long since been prove that the government has nothing to do with the current Hitokari organization. Of all the manslayers in Hitokari, the one that is rumored to be most powerful is a red-headed demon. He was rumored to have blood red hair and the most deadly of eyes. Once someone sees them, they were instantly paralyzed by the eyes and soon die after that. They say he uses a sword and no one can touch him. The rumor of this red-headed demon has caused almost a craze in the society. The police are obsessed with catching him; the corrupt fear him and he brings hope to everyone else.

At this time, the red-headed demon was merely watching the television. There was a news report concerning donation by an affluent businessman to a local hospital. The business man had dark hair, which was cut short. He seemed to have blue eyes, but it was hard to tell as he seems to avoid looking at the camera. Standing next to him was a fat and stout man. He was introduced as the director of the hospital. The man was smiling broadly as he thanked the business man for his contribution. The red-headed man analyzed the director further. He seemed to have been nicely fattened by his job. He turned off the television and picked up the folder that sat on the coffee table in front of him. In it was a report concerning the hospital and the employees. He flipped through the information one more time, memorizing the data that passed in front of his eyes. The director had been divorced two times now and had no children from either marriage. He had made the hospital into a very elite clinic, but that was due to wrongful means. The hospital was supposedly a public clinic, but it has now turned into a private hospital in every way but name. Only those with money and insurance would even be treated by the hospital. Additionally, the branch of the hospital with the greatest profit was the plastic surgery division. Despite the hospital being situated in one of the poorest area in the city, there has been little to no one living in poverty, or even middle class, helped by the hospital.

This current event was the last opportunity for the director. The money from check that the business man had issued him is to be used for covering any bill that cannot be covered by the underprivileged. All through the years, the director has been using the excuse that the hospital could not handle covering EVERY underprivileged patient. The red-head hoped that the director would realize the warning that he was receiving, but he doubted that he would. No one had ever noticed the warning that the Hitokari issue until it is too late. He picked up his cell phone and called for his partner to come back. On the television, the business man was seen excusing himself as he walked off the small podium. They would return to this issue in a month's time. If there was no change, they had no choice. No way was he going to go above and beyond the necessary to save such a fat man. His thought process was interrupted when the phone rang again. Glaring at the offending phone for interrupting his thought process, the red-headed demon growled at the person on the other end. "What?"

"KEN-CHAN!" the person on the other side screeched.

The Ken-chan winced at the high pitched voice. However the growl melted off his face. He was fighting to keep a smile off his face, "hello to you too beauty. Is there any way I can help you?" At this time, he was already relaxing against the couch.

The girl seemed to have sighed before replying, "You could help me very much by coming over. We have dinner all ready and Aoshi says we cannot start dinner until you are here. Though, I told him I am so hungry I feel like I'm going to faint." There was a slight pause as if the girl was gathering power, before she launched off again, "he has the audacity to just pat me on the head and say: 'it's fine. I am sure that Kenshin will be here in time to catch you.' Therefore I am demanding you come here RIGHT NOW or I shall surely starve to death."

Kenshin was now unable to contain his smile as he imagined the red faced appearance of the girl. This conversation was as amusing as the idea that this girl could truly starve to death from not eating dinner right this moment. "Alright, I'll be over in no time. Just try not to faint alright?" Immediately, he hung up the phone, but not before hearing a slight growl from the other side. Swinging his jacket behind him in a suave manner, Kenshin grabbed his keys just as he walked out his door. Walking down to the garage, he slid into his Porsche. There was no reason he shouldn't be extravagant with at least something he owned. Pulling onto the road, he glanced at the car clock, which read 7:55, before letting out a curse. He truly was late; no wonder Kaoru had called and demanded his presence. Kenshin pulled out of his garage and sped off, that same smile on his face.


	2. Revelation

Rumors  
By Xue Hua Bennet

Prologue 2-

People have always been known to forget things. It can range from forgetting where you had placed your keys to when your anniversary is. Of course things that are important to you, it is very rare that you'd forget that. Additionally, when something has happened recently, a person should recollect it quite well. However, this is when the oddity occurs. The police force has a folder containing files of unsolved cases. The people who should be witnesses do not remember even being at the scene of the crime. They have no recollection of being there, much less what happened that night. Of course this causes great frustration for the police force. This sort of mystery is almost a power. When no one can remember you, then you are almost invisible. This is especially useful to the group known as Hitokari. They strive on their anonymity and power. There has never been a witness to their crime or anyone who can give any information as to the identity of the members of this group. The only similarity in all these crime is a piece of paper with the word "Justice" written on it located at the scene of the crime. The forensics couldn't even identify the paper, other than plain paper with no special quality that can be bought at any store. The greater surprise is that none of the Hitokari members even know where their special power comes from. However, they think nothing of it other than their own ability to remain invisible.

The past week has consisted of preparing, shopping and cooking a vast amount of food. She wanted everything to be perfect. To actually give her brother the perfect birthday dinner, Kaoru has been preparing for just that for months now. Of course, to guarantee that it was perfect, Kaoru avoided actually even touching the food. Instead, she opted to choose the menu and watch over the preparation of the meals. The whole time she maintained a safe distance so that her luck in the kitchen didn't affect the food for the party. The menu consisted of Aoshi's favorite dishes and a cake from her personally favorite bakery. This was not just any bakery. It was _her_ bakery. She would periodically bring desserts from there for herself, but has never allowed anyone else know the name of it or even try some of the desserts. For her to allow her brother's cake to be made there, she was not only honoring him with the opportunity to try one of their scrumptious dishes, but also allowing the guests to try that dessert as well. Speaking of the guests, those were the final touch to this perfection. Kaoru has invited the perfect people. There must not be too many people, as Aoshi hated crowds. Or too little because then there will be no conversation and just a lot of "hnn." The perfect number came to be three guests: Kenshin, Misao, and Sano. Kenshin was her brother's best friend, and partner at his law firm. Misao was his girlfriend, and even if he will not admit it, his future wife as well. And finally, Sano, who was there for her own sanity. She is depending on Sano to keep dinner from being an eerily silent affair. Aoshi rarely spoke around guests and Kenshin rarely spoke around Aoshi. Misao could generally be counted on to be loud and providing interesting conversation, but when around Aoshi she was too busy staring at him or having private conversations with _just_ him. Therefore, without Sano Kaorus would be left with Kenshin's periodical smirks at her, usually after she had done something stupid because Misao demanded that she needed to get herself a boyfriend, followed by Aoshi giving her a stern look and demanding to know if she had one or not. Yes, Sano could definitely be counted on to keep the conversation light and off her. She could also depend on him to do something stupid so that _he _would be the one admonished and not her.

Despite all her efforts, it seems today is no different than any other gathering for everyone else. At least Misao came on time and Sano was only five minutes late. Kenshin, however, is being himself and that meant relatively late. Kenshin is so late that Misao already had enough time to fully monopolized Aoshi's attention. Sano has been sending her pleading looks as he glances periodically at the food. Kaoru understands Sano perfectly. She is just as hungry as he is. Though Kenshin had laughed on the hone, but she truly believes that this time, she will die from the lack of food. She hasn't eaten all day, because she had been busy preparing for tonight. Already she is feeling faint and craving the nourishments sitting on the table. Thinking to herself, Kaoru gave him another thirty seconds then she will just start dinner or she will faint. _FINALLY_

Kaoru jumped from her seat and answered the door when she saw Kenshin's car pull into the driveway. After all, she had been staring out the window since calling him. Pushing the window up with gusto, Kaoru greeted him enthusiastically, "Kenshin!"

Swaggering to the door, Kenshin flung it open with a, "hello beauty. Am I dreadfully late?" He gave his trademark charming smirk when he greeted her. Kenshin followed all this with an over exaggerated bow and while straightening,

"I must say you look even more beautiful tonight." He stepped into the house and was about to take off his jacket when Kaoru suddenly crumpled. Years of martial arts practice taught Kenshin to react rapidly and boy did he! Before Kaoru has even fallen more than a couple of inches, he had caught her and was sweeping her up bridal style. "Has she eaten today?"

"Probably not," Aoishi admitted as he sorted through his memory. "Kaoru is usually good about taking care of herself. So I usually ignore it if she doesn't eat, figuring she had a good reason."

Misao glared at her boyfriend for being so dismissive towards his little sister, "you do realize that you are the older brother here right? You're suppose to be taking care of her!"

"I do," Aoshi defended himself. "I make sure no guy touches her and I insure she get whatever she needs." When Misao opened her mouth to reprimand him more, he added, "Kaoru never complained and you know I don't have all that time."

"Um guys?" Kenshin interrupted the lover's argument before it got started, "a little help here?"

"Upstairs, second door to the right," Sano stated in a bored tone as he came into the room. "We going to eat yet?" he inquired.

Kenshin ignored the rest of his friends as he walked up the stairs. Upon reaching the second door to the right, he shifted Kaoru in his arms as he turned the door knob and nudged the door open with his foot. Two things stood out to Kenshin, the vast amount of blue in it and the boken resting against her bed. Well, the bed stood out too, but for a very different reason. Kenshin noted that this was his first time in Kaoru's room since they had moved here. Despite having ate most of his meals here, Kenshin had never before stepped upstairs. If he stayed over he took the down stairs guest room. Deciding to take advantage of this opportunity, he further investigated the room. There was a small desk squeezed in between the window and the bed. Her bureau was next to the closest which was closed at this time. It was a relatively clean room, which surprised him considering Kaoru's tendency for disorganization. Walking closer to the desk, Kenshin noticed a small journal and smirked. _This could definitely be interesting._ He noted as he flippantly knocked against the desk so that the journal fell on the floor, open. Glancing down he read:

_I'm going to be starting college soon and I admit being a little worried. I know that Tokyo University is a good school. I'll be with so many friends already, but I'll also be with Kenshin and Aoshi. High school was hell when they were there. The girls constantly badgering me for a way to contact them or being rude because I monopolized their time For goodness sake, Aoshi was my brother. It was not like I could just ignore him or not ask him for a ride home! Of course there was the lack of interest from the guys. At first I thought it was because of my appearance. I had spent so much time following Kenshin and Aoshi around, I feared I came off more like a guy than a girl. But after Misao and Megumi helped me with that makeover, I thought I'd finally get a boyfriend. Afterall, every girl had one in her high school year. That was when I found out Aoshi had made sure no guy would ever dare ask me out. After Kenshin and Aoshi left, it was almost normal for me. I have gotten so use to that normalcy that I forgot what it was like with them being protective. Of course, I doubt he would be able to control who asks me out in college. Not that it matters. The worst thing about going to Tokyo U is Kenshin. I didn't realize it until a few days ago when he brought his latest girlfriend over that I think I might love him. It seems such a crazy idea, but why should it be? I've known him most of my life. I know more about his than any of his girl friends. The real him. Or at least I think I do. Now I'm starting to doubt myself around him. I don't know what to do about this feeling, but I have decided to_

Kenshin reached down to turn the page when he heard a groan. Immediately slamming the journal shut and placing it on the desk he turned swiftly. Kaoru had shifted and was coming to it appeared. He suddenly felt uncomfortable in Kaoru's room with the knowledge he'd just received. Taking a coward's way out, Kenshin dashed out of the room before Kaoru saw him.

A/N: I thought about Hitokari vs. Hitokiri. I did mean to write Hitokiri at first but now I thought about it I don't want it to be that direct. I hope Hitokari doesn't mean anything nice and happy.


End file.
